My Death It is Yours
by Captain Vox
Summary: Some one seems to be targeting men Ziva knows, but how could her sniveling ex really do that? She should trust her instincts and let herself turn to Tony...Tiva, M just in case. I'm not good with ratings...
1. Chapter 1

Tony and Ziva: My Death- It is Yours

[[ I don't know what the apartments/housing of characters look like, other than Timothy's. I looked up the Arabic "My Love" (Al-hiib) on google. It's not Arabic writing obviously but… don't judge if I got it wrong!!! Also, Tzabar is an Israeli-Jewish name, also thanks to google. Anywho, enjoy!]]

"Take out the ex….before he takes you out."

The knock at her door made Ziva freeze. She wasn't expecting guests at one in the A.M. Hell, she should be fast asleep since she had to be up for work in a few hours. Eyeing the Glock on the table before her, Ziva stood up stiffly and swiped it off the dark brown top, tucking it into her waistband at her back before stepping very quietly to her door. Her bare feet slid over the carpet in an echoed _whoosh_ that wouldn't be heard by anyone on the other side…she hoped. It had been a few months since she'd escaped from Israel and she hoped that her past mistakes weren't catching up with her. Leaning in slowly but surely, she put her eye to the peephole and felt her breath catch. "Damn…" she muttered, followed by a few curses in Arabic as she flipped through the locks on her door.

Sliding the chain lock over the door she opened it a crack and leaned on the frame. "What do you want from me, Tzabar?" Her voice was hard and far from amused in the early hours long before dawn.

"Al-hiib," he grinned at her, leered was more like it. She could smell the sharp scent of liquor on his breath from here. "I came by to make sure you knew who you belonged to. We belong together, Ziva David."

"You have been drinking, Tzabar. You need to leave." Ziva's eyes were narrowed as she watched her ex-boyfriend with slight detest. "Please." Her tone was soft but firm. Something wavered in her eyes though, something very un-Ziva.

With more speed than Ziva had expected from a man so full of alcohol, Tzabar reached through the space of door and frame grabbing her hair, pulling her towards him. She yelped at the sudden, unexpected attack and pulled herself back, falling on her rear end. Kicking out, her foot caught the door and slammed on the man's hand before coming back open hard against the lock. It was enough time for him to draw his hand away and allow the door to close all the way. Outside of the slammed door, Arabic curses flooded the hallway and Ziva cringed, waiting for the angered voices of other tenants in the apartment complex. It was a rather nice building so people would definitely complain about noise this late- loudly.

Pulling herself off of the floor she reached up and rubbed her sore head, feeling the sharp tingles of recently pulled hair. That's why she didn't like to leave it down on the job. Too vulnerable. Putting her hand to her back to pull the gun out she paused and looked back at the floor where she'd fallen. It was laying there. Scrambling as if the cursing man was inside of the apartment, Ziva snatched it up and her breathe was coming in quickly. She was losing it. He was getting to her.

Hearing his voice fading with heavy footfalls stomping away, Ziva breathed out and set the gun down on the coffee table she'd made her way over to. Her hands were shaking and she was on the verge of tears. "Stop it, Ziva. This is not you." Sucking down a deep breath and letting it out slowly, she gained control of herself again and sat down. The television was still running through a CSI marathon. Grabbing the remote she turned it up a few notches and sunk into the plot line, trying not to think about what had just happened…again. This time had gotten out of control.

The black wireless phone sat on the table next to the bowl of popcorn she'd made. Ziva kept looking at it, with a number running through her head. "No, you don't need to bother Tony…He would just tell you how girlish of you it is for not pulling a Mossad trick on Tzabar…" Her thoughts trailed off as she wrapped herself into the television show before her.

* * * *

The shrill ring of a cell-phone pulled Ziva from a deep sleep and quickly misting dark dreams. Sucking in a surprised breath, her eyes darted around her looking for the source of the sound to quickly realize it was the small phone in her pocket. Fishing it out her body ached from the awkward half-laying, half-sitting position she'd fallen asleep in on the couch. "David!" she answered without checking caller I.D.

"David, where the hell are you? We've got a case," Gibbs' voice rang out sharp and angry through the connection, making the ex-Mossad agent cringe.

"Be right there-" _Click_. "Shit…" she jumped up from the couch and scrambled for her gear. The jeans she slipped into had been on her floor but they looked clean. The black t-shirt was only slightly rumpled and her hair was easy enough to pull back into a tight pony-tail- though minus product this time. With a grunt she grabbed her gear and heard the ping of an alert on her phone. Snatching it from the bed where she'd discarded it to get dressed she found a text from McGee; the address of the new case she was guessing and darted for the door, barely remembering to grab the badge from the side table in the hallway.

She was a very fast driver when she needed to be. Well, even when she didn't need to be she could maneuver at some very high speeds around traffic. Now, she was barely holding back from shooting anyone in traffic that dared to move slower than the speed the woman wanted to be going. Gibbs was very upset. Very upset._ And he should be, Zee-Va_. Her internal thoughts were very snappy as she turned her "scary voice" on herself.

Pulling up along the street behind the main SUV of NCIS, Ziva stepped out and jogged towards the roped off area of a front lawn in a nice looking suburban community. _Always in the worst of places…_ She pulled her badge and flashed it at the cop that was posted there to keep civilians out. "NCIS," she murmured and ducked under the yellow tape heading for the front steps only to pause when she saw movement in the side yard, almost around back.

McGee was snapping pictures and Ziva redirected her course towards him. "What do we have, McGee?" she asked and paused, realizing her eyes had just answered her question. The scene in the back yard made her stomach do somersaults. Timothy just looked at her and offered a tight smile meant to give her some sort of an odd apology, as if he was at fault.

The man in the P.T. sweats and gray shirt with NAVY written on the front lay sprawled on the grass, surrounded by the toys of young children- a swing set, tonka trucks, baseball and bat. His throat was a mess of bloody and ripped skin, the crimson liquid having spilled itself over his Navy shirt and the grass beneath him. His eyes were wide open, staring right at Ziva as she stood there, paralyzed. Oh God…those eyes.

Ziva swallowed hard and took a few steps forward. This man had been at the bar she visited in the early hours of last night. He'd offered her a drink, which she accepted. He had been cute, with that military cut and over-eager eyes. He'd also been polite, innocent. If she remember right, and as the yard seemed to prove, he was a divorced father of two- an every other weekend kind of deal. How she hoped this was the other weekend. Shaking her head and slipping on her Mossad-taught-mask, Ziva glanced around and found Gibbs, just who she needed to talk to and just who she didn't want to. "Gibbs, I am sorry about my-"

"Statements Ziva. The neighbors are out front." Gibbs looked past her to Ducky and Palmer making their way back towards the body.

"Yes Gibbs," she said and turned away, grabbing a notebook and pen. Normally she would argue that she was more useful elsewhere and _not_ a people person, but she knew when to hold her tongue. Now was one of those moments as she was late and already had Gibbs upset with her.

Moving around from teary eyed neighbor to wide eyed neighbor to pissed-off neighbor, Ziva got information from each person. Every statement was more and more vague than the last. Someone had heard a gunshot- no that the T.V. dear. Someone heard glass breaking, not it was a door opening, no definitely glass breaking in the dead's back yard. No one heard a scream. He hadn't heard a damn thing other than his bitch's hot screams in his ear, so don't ask him nuttin….

With a grumble the woman moved away and started to go over times and notes from everyone realizing that there were, in fact, a few things that lined up. Nothing Ducky couldn't confirm though with a liver-temp test. "Not helpful…" she muttered at her notebook and chewed on the end of her pen.

Feeling eyes on her, Ziva looked up expecting a glare from Gibbs or a cocky, _you're in trouble Ziva_ look from Tony but they were busy bagging, tagging and sketching. "Hmm," she mused and let her head sweep around looking for the source of mild discomfort that sat in her chest. Was that…? No…the man was gone too quickly for her to tell but for a moment, she thought she'd just seen Tzabar.

Dropping the pen and paper, she checked that her Glock was at her side and vaulted the yellow tape. Tzabar or not, the man had fled very quickly once she started looking around and often, the criminal returned when the cops came. Quickly checking both directions she crossed the street and peered down the sidewalk that disappeared around the corner onto another block. Picking up her feet she ran around the last of the houses and turned the corner expecting to see the man. There was nobody. With a defeated sigh she trudged back to the scene and snatched up her suddenly discarded notebook and pen.

"Ziva," it was Tony's voice and he was stalking towards her with one of his infamous bragging grins. He stopped a few feet away and dragged his eyes up and down her, offering a very un-Tony frown. "Rough night?" he asked in a soft grumble of low notes.

"Why do you ask, Dinozzo?" she retorted, turning the question back on him.

Tony found her eyes and he cocked an eyebrow pretty high. "Uh, you look like you've just escaped a very rough orgie," he grinned after taking in her frumpy clothes and messy hair quickly thrown up, returning to himself once more. "You're not the kinky S and M type, are you, Ziva?" That stupid spark in his eye was going to get him hit.

"I am not in the mood, Tony. It _was_ a rough night, if you _must_ know. But not in the stack." She shook her head, grinding her teeth.

"In the…eh, I think you mean sack, Ziva." Tony crossed his arms and leaned on the SUV watching her. "I think I'd like to know what you are like in the sa-" _Thwak_. "Thanks boss," he said cheerfully despite the cringe from the head-slap.

Ziva smiled and turned away, heading for the car as they started to pack up the evidence and head back to NCIS headquarters to make some sense of the mess. The one good thing that came from being late was being able to drive herself and avoid the others long enough to try and pull her look together a bit more. Obviously Tony had noticed her rumpled appearance, but why wouldn't the Armani wearing, prideful, arrogant, full of himself…_Breathe Ziva, Breathe._


	2. Chapter 2

**My Death- It is Yours Chapter Two!**

There had been no leads beyond Ziva's having seen Mr. Hark leave the bar at 11:00 P.M., right before Ziva herself had left. She was now packing up her bag in frustration at the lack of evidence. She stuffed her NCIS hat in the bag and zipped it up, slinging it over her shoulder unceremoniously. The bull pen was alight by only her desk lamp and an annoying neon sign for a dinner that shined right in through the high windows. Ziva rubbed at her eyes furiously.

"Hey, Ziva, you need to talk?" It was Tony's voice and it came out of nowhere.

She jumped a little and looked back at Tony, glaring through clouded and red eyes. "No, Tony. I am fine." Ziva turned away from him, not wanting to get caught up in this with him. Not to mention she was now upset with herself for letting someone sneak up on her.

Just before the elevator doors shut Tony stuck his arm inside and they re-flung themselves open with a "ding". He eased his back against the elevator wall, arms tucked behind his lower back, watching her. It wasn't quite the intimidating "talk to me now" look that Gibbs gave on such an occasion but it had Ziva shifting her stance and staring with defensively squinted eyes.

"I'm just walking you to your car," Tony said shrugging off the action and looking up as the floors flew by in red above the buttons.

"That is not necessary," she replied in a flat tone.

Tony just left that little grin on his face and pushed off the wall when the elevator stopped. Sticking an arm out, he held it between the doors, allowing Ziva off first. She took off past him trying to move quickly and avoid this oncoming conversation she really didn't want to have. Sticking the keys into the lock she listened to Tony walk up to stand right behind her. Ziva was half-tempted to fling the door open and hit him with it. She resisted and turned around with a sigh. "I am not getting out of this, am I Anthony?"

Tony cocked an eyebrow at her, the puzzled look on his face more than obviously faked. "I don't know what you mean, Daviiiid," he dragged out the E. He had that cocky grin back on his face as he ran a hand through his hair and shifted his weight from one foot to another.

"Get in the car." Ziva climbed in waiting for Tony to listen to her. She might as well get this over and actually be a female- she needed to talk. The Italian man just stood outside of her car, gaping at her through the window of the mini cooper. His truly puzzled look turned into a frown as he moved around the car to get in on the other side.

"Uh," he looked at her as he put on the safety belt quickly. "I said I would walk you to your car, not home…" Then he smiled widely, flashing those straight white teeth. Ziva couldn't help but think how cute he looked when he smiled like that. "Unless of course you need some support back home. It could get awfully cold all alon-" Ziva's elbow connecting with his ribs made Tony wheeze out a breath and higher pitched groan. "Right, scratch that thought. Cold doesn't bother you anyway, does it? Your heart's a block of ice."

Ziva looked at him and there was a flicker of hurt in her eyes. She smothered it behind the hard, Mossad mask she wore. "Yeah." Her voice was soft as she threw the gears into reverse and squealed tires out of the parking garage. A large yet soft hand settled on her leg and Ziva tensed. She knew Tony could feel her body tighten but she remained silent.

"I'm sorry Ziva. I was joking around." He removed his hand and looked out of the window. Ziva looked at him then returned her eyes to the road and drive home. She had no idea why she was taking him home but something just yelled at her to not go alone. It had nothing to do with feeling unsafe but more that she didn't want to be alone. Of course, Tony would probably have it around that office that she and he slept together but she couldn't make herself care at the moment. She needed someone and he was there.

The rest of the ride to her place was quiet and neither of them seemed to mind that. The awkwardness of pulling into the parking lot and sitting in the silent parked car was what made the two of them squirm. Ziva looked over at Tony and then turned and got out of the car. She was sure he would follow and hopefully the awkwardness would break once they got inside and settled down with a drink and some t.v. or cheap conversation. He would more than likely leave after a few hours and that would be just fine.

Hearing the car door shut Ziva keyed herself into the large apartment building and headed up the stairs. She never took the elevator at her place, the stairs were better exercise. Tony, of course, complained immediately. "You know, they make those up and down things for a reason."

"Elevators Tony? It is normally your job to correct my English, is it not?" Ziva looked at him with a small smile twitched in the corner of her lips.

Tony gave her a funny look and rolled his eyes. "I was being a smart ass, thank you for ruining my fun."

"Now, _that_ is my job. And you are welcome." Ziva took the steps two at a time, reaching the third floor fairly quickly. To his credit, Tony kept up just fine despite his gum-flapping. Ziva was putting the key in the lock when Tony grabbed her upper arms and spun her around. Normally she wasn't the type of person to let someone else push her around but for some reason she didn't fight her coworker. Staring slightly up into his eyes she eased against the door to her apartment, the door handle rubbing against her side and making the quickly forgotten keys jingle.

"Come on Ziva, talk to me. Are you alright?" he asked, placing a hand on the door above her left shoulder. He was so close she could feel his breath across her nose and lips. His breath smelled of a mix of mint and some sweet alcohol. Looking into his eyes she saw he was nowhere near intoxicated. This was Tony, the regular old sober Tony she knew and loved to hate…or was it hated to love?

She looked down a little, very un-Ziva if you asked her. "I am fine Tony. The case is-"

"Why is it getting to you?" he asked leaning in closer, eyes brimming with concern. Now she could smell his cologne. Musky. Male. Delicious.

Delicious? Ziva what is wrong with you? She took in a deep breath to settle her nerves, but that just made it worse. He was overcoming her senses and Ziva could feel her body heading for an overload. "I- Tony…" her eyes were pegged on his lips and she felt her thighs quiver. Pulling her legs together to stand steadier, she flattened her hands against the door and tried to sag away from him. "Too coincidental, but the man I think did it is not capable."

"Gibbs doesn't believe in coincidence." Tony frowned, seemingly unaware of what he was doing to her. He shifted to lean on the other arm, giving her a good look at his profile. He was sculpted rather beautiful for a pompous ass. Maybe he was such because he had good reason to be.

"I am not Gibbs, Tony." She looked up at him like he was stupid for saying that.

"I know that. I wouldn't be this close if you were Gibbs." He smiled looking down at her and froze. He caught a look in her eyes, hungry, primal. Feminine. "Uh, Ziva, maybe we should go…" He took in a deep breath and caught her scent. There was nothing floral, no perfume or cheap sweet body wash. It was all Ziva- warm, fresh, like a hot sunny day. He cocked an eyebrow at the thought and felt his breath catch in his throat. What was wrong with him. "Go inside."

Ziva nodded and shrunk back a little more, practically starting to slide down her door. Her chest was constricting as she caught the tightening of Tony's arm muscles and the hungry look in his own eyes. "Yeah." Her voice was low and sultry though she wasn't trying to be such.

Leaning in suddenly, Tony captured Ziva's lips with his own. His body moved to pin hers to the door, one arm hooking around to hold her lower back and the other grabbing one of her wrists and pinning it above them. Ziva's breath raced from her lungs as she felt Tony's warm lips against her. When he grabbed her and pulled her closer she wrapped a long leg around his hips. He pulled her further into him, pressing them both up against the door and she kicked the other one up. Locking her boots together she was completely off of the ground, wrapped around Tony as he held her up. Her back was flat against the door, the wood hard and door handle hitting her hip but she ignored the pain, the exhilaration making it so easy to ignore.

She let her tongue slip out from her mouth and run a hot, wet trail over Tony's lips. He opened his lips inviting her forth and she delved her tongue inside his mouth and against his. She took the taste of his toothpaste and rich alcohol with the sharp tang of soda that was on her breath. Breathing in a deep breath their scents were mixing and her head was spinning. This felt good. She was thinking of nothing but her racing heart, the heat between her legs and the hardness of Tony's abs pressed between her legs. Too many clothes.

Tony's head was about to explode. He couldn't believe he was doing this. Let alone with Ziva. At the weight of her wrapped around him and the feel of her tongue, his thoughts became jumbled and all he could think of was the urging need pulsing through his body. He became hard quickly and the erection throbbed against his restricting jeans. He grabbed Ziva's ass and picked her up further, letting go of her wrist so he could work the door open. The hallway was just a bit too open and what he planned on doing with her would probably not fly with the other tenants if they were to walk out on it all. Pushing the door open he moved them inside, finding it rather easy to move with her wrapped around him even though she wasn't the tiniest of women.

The way Tony moved so easily with Ziva on him made her feel like a woman. She felt protected, craved and feminine- things she didn't often come across. The way he moved his mouth down her neck to nibble on her exposed collarbone had her tossing her head back and gasping for breath. She felt the world tilt quickly and realized Tony had found the couch and was laying her back on it. Ziva was sore to let him go and clung tightly.

"I'm not going anywhere, Ziva. Just let go one second," he breathed out huskily. Reluctantly she slipped from his grasp and lay back on the couch, catching her breath. She watched him above her, standing at the arm of the couch. He had that grin on that he always had when he was being cocky. It made her quiver with anticipation.

She frowned at him anyway. "I did not say you were leaving, Tony." She started to sit up and watched him quickly move to push her back down. Ziva grabbed his arm and held tightly.

"You don't have to be in control all of the time." Tony looked down at her, not wincing though she held his arm in a vice-like grip. "You can be out of control and still enjoy yourself." He smiled and she felt her heart skip a beat. He knew what he was doing, knew just what to say and knew exactly what was bothering her. She hadn't even realized it yet but he had.

"Damn you Anthony Dinozzo." She lay back though, watching with a glare as he pulled his arm back from her loosening grip. His fingers nimbly flew down the buttons of his shirt and it fluttered around him to the ground. He looked good, body tight from working out. He moved to perch above her, knees planted on either side of her on the large couch. His hands grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled upwards, taking the fabric from her and leaving her in a black satin bra.

"Mm, I knew you weren't a lace kinda gal." He smiled and leaned down, kissing the swelling tops of her breasts. Ziva wrapped her arms around his back, feeling the rushing fire move back in them with the sudden skin to skin contact. His lips were warm and talented, fluttering over his skin in a wet trail then adding nips and licks. She wasn't sure how it happened but very quickly the rest of their clothes were on the floor and his lips were back at hers, feverishly tasting and teasing.

Ziva pulled a leg up and around his hips again, pulling him down to nestle between her thighs. The hardness of him dragged through her warmth and they both shuddered at the too quick contact. She felt him roll his hips closer, nestling closely between her legs and rubbing his length along her most intimate parts. He was big and he knew just how to move. Dragging her nails down his back to grab his ass, she felt him jerk and she couldn't suppress a laugh. It was low in her throat and she barely recognized it. From the lighted look in Tony's eyes, he liked it. She thrust her hips upwards, trying to get him to enter her.

It was Tony's turn to laugh. Ziva's impatience amused him. Dipping his head down for another kiss he obliged her pushing and rocked his hips forward, entering her in a swift and smooth stroke. They both groaned into the kiss and rocked together, creating a quick pace. Their bodies gathered sweat between them and their breaths mingled hot and heavy in the close space of their kiss. Ziva stared up into Tony's eyes, mouth slightly open as she panted and gasped at the feel of him. Tony stared back, jaw taught with concentration as he worked to bring Ziva to climax. He came here with her tonight to make sure she was alright, and that was carrying through in the sex. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him, hugging her tight and kissing her neck, shoulders, lips and wherever else he could get his lips. She came gasping his name and he followed quickly after with a very male bark of appreciation.

Laying there, still entwined, Tony and Ziva said nothing as their panting breath mixed and matched in pace. Ziva's body felt numb and her mind comforted by his presence. She had imagined actually doing this ever since their undercover mission where they'd faked the sex. She smiled at the picture of him doing pushups above her. This was nothing like what they had faked. This had been better. Much better. She had her naked back pressed against Tony's chest and his arm was tucked around her, just under her chest. She felt safe here and even after she had gathered her thoughts, still felt feminine with him. It was something she was rather enjoying and hadn't yet found with a man. "Thank you Tony."

"Thank me?" He chuckled. "I think we both contribuated to that." His tone was still husky but getting back to the normal Tony. She rolled her eyes and nudged him gently with her elbow.

"Can't you, for once, just behave and be nice?" she asked absentmindedly running her fingers over the arm that was wrapped around her.

She could almost feel him frown at the back of her head. "But then I wouldn't be Anthony Dinozzo." He nestled his nose in her hair and kissed her head.

Ziva smiled and shook her head. "Fine, good night, Anthony Dinozzo."

"Good night, Ziva David." Tony yawned and pulled her closer, something he'd done a lot tonight. Ziva liked it.


	3. Chapter 3

(Finally updating! Sorry it took so long. I'm back in school with good internet so SHOULD update more frequently but….we'll see how busy this semester proves. Hope you all enjoy. There is a bit more action in this update! Much love to everyone who has commented, favorited the story and favorited me as an author :] )

(Oh, and I gave Tzabar a last name in here, couldn't find one earlier in the text so hope there isn't actually two for him….)

Ziva walked into work the next day with her hair pooling around her shoulders in waving curls and her cheeks were a healthy pink. Though still not herself, she seemed much more with it today, if not a little ephemeral. Timothy stared at her as she pulled her chair out and sat down in it, tight black shirt and jeans hugging her curves like most of her clothes did not. "Uh, Ziva…" he watched her curiously as she turned her head to look up at him.

"Yes, McGee?" Her voice was as strong as normal, offsetting this odd feminine feel she was putting off.

Tony strode in, button up shirt untucked and hair ruffled slightly. It was not like him to look like that unless he'd stayed the night at the office. He'd obviously not done that. Timothy looked between the two of them and shook his head. "Mm, never mind," he murmured. If his two co-workers had done what he suspected he certainly didn't want to know from the ex-Mossad agent.

Ziva glanced over at Tony as he took his seat across from her, riffling through a stack of papers on his desk. She really wished last night had been a bit more talking and less…no, last night had been amazing and she wasn't the talking type anyway. Tearing her gaze from him she looked at the letter sitting on her desk, marked with just her name. She picked it up tenderly and looked it over carefully. She knew their mail was checked but things had slipped through before; the plague before her time there. The handwriting looked familiar and Ziva felt her heart clench tightly in her chest. Him. He'd gotten a letter into her work place. Of course, Tzabar didn't have the smarts to get anything hazardous into a letter.

As she opened the letter she kept picturing the murdered Marine in his backyard, the man she'd talked to before Tzabar had showed up at her home. How she hoped he wasn't working with someone who could potentially get something past security. The envelope peeled open slowly and there wasn't any substance falling from it. So far so good. Gently tugging a letter from inside she flipped it around to see her name at the top.

_ Al-Hiib,_

_ I know you are more than likely busy with your new case but_

_ we need to talk. I saw you with him, Agent Dinozzo, at your_

_ apartment. Don't you know a warning when you get one? You_

_ belong with me, Ziva David, and you always will. Meet me today_

_ for lunch at the café down the street. Noon is when you normally_

_ go correct? I'd better see you there._

_ Tzabar_

Ziva wasn't sure what kind of emotion was piercing past her iron-cast mask, but something sat there. The look she was getting from Tony told her so. She stared into his eyes for a beat then shook her head as she looked down, shoving the letter back into the envelope and stuffing it into the desk drawer. Ziva wasn't stupid enough to throw away potential evidence but she was not ready to share this with Tony. _A warning._ If that murder was what he was talking about Ziva should be going to Gibbs or the director right now. So why was she just sitting there staring at the drawer she'd shoved the letter in?

"You ready to talk yet, Miss David?" Tony asked, hip resting on the edge of her desk.

Ziva looked at his hip and glared. "I am ready to break a bone if you do not get your rear end off of my desk."

"Your heard the woman, Dinozzo. Get your ass off the desk and to yours. We have a murderer to catch." Gibbs sat down at his desk, picking up the phone and dialing some number. "Yes, hello Mrs. Hark? My apologies, Ms. Stevens. Is there a time I would be able to stop by and talk to you concerning Mr. Hark's passing?"

Tony kept looking at Ziva, smirk diminished and real concern in his eyes. "What are you hiding?" he asked softly so that Gibbs or Timothy could not hear.

The female agent stared up at him and remained tight lipped.

With a frown Tony turned away to get the information he'd found yesterday. There was a slight lead he wanted to look into not figuring it would get too far but far enough to take his mind from Ziva. Last night had been strange and wonderful for both of them; at least, he hoped he wasn't alone in enjoying what they'd done.

Ziva flipped through her notes she'd taken yesterday, looking at the picture of the man sprawled in his backyard. It was too much coincidence that she'd met the man not long ago, that it had been a love interest and that now Tony was being mentioned. Tzabar really didn't have murder in his blood. He was a laid back guy with a computer office job, someone so far drawn away from the world she surrounded her working life in that she could get away from it all with him. At least, that had been the point before she'd left him.

Shaking her head she watched Gibbs hang up the phone and immediately have to turn to his cell phone as it went off. "Gibbs…yeah. Got it." He shut the phone without a "goodbye" and snatched up his gun and badge. "Got a second body, let's move."

The three agents grabbed their stuff quickly, following with quick feet after their boss on the way to the elevator. Ziva wasn't sure she was going to like what they would find at this crime scene. If it was someone else she knew, there would be no way she could keep it from Gibbs and the team. _Please let this blow over as a heavy imagination. You are soft after leaving the Mossad. Any woman gets upset over a bad break up…_

Sitting in the back of the car with Tony was something new to Ziva. Timothy looked at him oddly and carefully climbed into the front next to Gibbs. He looked around for something that would spring out at him and over at Gibbs with obvious thoughts of Gibbs wanting something from him that he didn't have…like coffee, or answers.

The drive to the scene was short with Gibbs's horrendous driving but that wasn't what sat stirring her stomach. The feel of Tony's hand over hers warmed her. The cool leather of the car seat beneath it was a drastic difference, but not unpleasant. She felt protected with him so close and open as of last night. Ziva was not used to needing protection or help but it seemed every time she did, Anthony Dinozzo was there to do the saving. She resisted scooting closer to him needing to pull her strong outer layer back around her, place that wall between the two of them again after last night.

They all climbed out of the car and Ziva looked around. The park. It was very open here so definite possibility of witnesses. They walked through the glaring yellow tape, flashing badges and looked on at the grisly scene. A man rested against a tree, head tilted at an impossible angle, blood running from his lips. His eyes were open like the last and glared right into Ziva's. At least, that's how she felt about it as she looked at the man.

"Gregory Standish," Gibbs read off of the I.D. he was handed. He lightly glared at the local cop for having searched the body before Ducky could come look at it.

The sound of someone else saying the name Ziva already knew made her heart stand still for a moment. She knew the petty officer. They had coffee together every Thursday morning like clockwork. He'd be getting done with P.T. and Ziva would be not quite ready to head into work. They had great conversations together and nothing had every really gotten beyond a friend level, as the man had a fiancé. Her gut clenched at the thought.

"Gibbs," Ziva spoke up between gritted teeth, eyes still stuck on the man. "We need to talk." There was no way this was just coincidence now. If she didn't say anything now and Gibbs found out on his own, her ass was bread…er, toast….or some sort of bread product!

Jethro turned on the woman and cocked an eyebrow. "Right now?" he asked with annoyance heavy in his voice.

"It is pertinent to the case, Gibbs or I would not be asking." She gave him a look and took a few steps back, turned and headed for a place off by the cars where they could have some privacy. She could feel Tony's eyes on her but didn't look at him, not wanting to lose her emotions with him again.

Jethro stood in front of her, staring and waiting for an answer- ever a man of few words. "It is just…" Ziva sighed, folding her arms over her chest. "I knew these men who have been dying and I received a letter early this morning that may have been a threat." She was finding it difficult to look Gibbs in the eyes but wouldn't dare pull away and make herself look weak.

Gibbs nodded slowly and cautiously opened his mouth after a few moments of thought. "Ziva, do you know who is doing this?" he asked. Jethro wasn't sure how he was keeping his temper in check with her but knew she would come clean to him.

"An ex, Tzabar Farah." Ziva glanced back at Tony who was not so subtly staring at the two of them. "He has been stalking me for a few weeks now and somehow got a letter into the office this morning." She pulled the letter from her bag and handed it over to Gibbs. She'd figured at needing it so soon, had been hoping never, but had put it there so that Tony couldn't get a hold of it from her desk.

Gibbs read over it briefly and looked back up to Ziva. "This threat would include, Dinozzo." He narrowed his eyes. "Were you planning on sharing this with me at any time, David?"

Ziva pursed her lips and thought out her words before answering. Unlike the boys, she knew how to be political about things. "Only if it was absolutely necessary. I did not want my personal life getting dragged into something else work related. It has yet to end well."

"Point taken," Gibbs said and turned to look at the crime scene again. "Well, you're officially off the case and _in_ it. You'll stay here with us for now and then we're going to have to have a more detailed talk about Tzabar and how you know the victims."

Anger boiled inside of her but Ziva nodded and leaned against the medic van that pulled up. Ducky and Palmer climbed out, heading for the crime scene. The man knew well enough when Gibbs did not want to be disturbed. "David, stay here." Gibbs walked away, marching up to walk along side Ducky. The doctor, after a few words from Jethro, looked back at Ziva with a sad look on his face…pity maybe?

Ziva didn't need anyone's pity. She didn't need this stress. She should, and easily could, take out Tzabar on her own ending the problem right there. She grabbed the handle of the van and yanked it open, climbing into the front seat and flopping down into the seat. Pulling her hair up into a ponytail she looked back out to where Gibbs was talking to the rest of the team, most pointedly Tony as he was included in the threat.

This was not going well.

She was going to go crazy.

Ziva didn't go crazy.

Tony was heading over now as the rest of the team got down to looking for evidence. His brow was furrowed and lips were pursed. He didn't give that look often, this serious concern. Ziva watched as he pulled open the door next to her and stepped up onto the edge of the van, drawing himself close to her.

The first thing Ziva noticed was his warmth- flashes of the night before rushing her brain. She closed her eyes for a moment as his scent washed over her and she felt her stomach clench. How could it be she was craving him so badly after one night? Then again, she'd been craving him for a while now, just not like this. "Tony, I am sorry I did not tell you-"

Anthony stopped her with a gentle kiss. One hand moved around behind her neck, fingers slipping up into her bound hair. He pulled the band out, freeing her long locks, tongue tracing the lines of her lips in a gentle caress. "You're absolutely stunning with your hair down, Ziva." He pulled back giving her that cocky grin and ran his finger tips over her jaw line. Leaning back in to find the vicinity of her ear he whispered just for her. "I told you I'd help you through this, just trust me." Pulling back again he stepped out of the van and looked up at her briefly before heading back to the crime scene.

Everything Tony had done since she'd joined the NCIS crew had ranged from enraging to mildly perturbing. The sweet kiss and offer of help sent her head reeling and thoughts twirling in a mad abyss. She felt around for the hair tie and realized he'd stolen it completely. Damn him.

Sinking back into the seat she waited, contemplating all he'd said and done while the team worked without her on the case that could prove deadly to her.

Tony headed up the walkway to his house, keys in one hand and phone in the other pressed to his ear. "Are you sure you don't want to come here, Ziva? I mean, he knows where you live…"

"Tony, I am not running out of my house like a little girl," she argued as she stretched on the couch. She was in nothing but an NCIS t-shirt and panties, enjoying hearing Tony's voice. "You could come here." Maybe she was just hoping…

The sound of rich laughter on the other end made her pause. Tony took a breath and smiled, stuffing his keys into the lock of his door. "Yeah, give me just a few moments. I need to get a few things first." He was excited at the thought of going to see her again.

Pushing the door open Tony pushed the door inward and walked through heading for his stairs. Something felt wrong to him and he paused carefully looking around. Taking a step something pulled at his leg and he looked down as he watched his leg pull a wire. A loud bang and a flash of light sent him flying backwards. His eyes flickered as he watched his house going up in flames before darkness overtook him.

"Tony?" Ziva asked to the dial tone that suddenly consumed her phone.


	4. Chapter 4

(This one is a bit lovey-dovey, maybe a tad too cheesy…meh, it was needed, in my mind.)

The team was gathered outside of the hospital room, Tony inside with just the doctor. Ziva was leaning back on the wall, legs crossed at the ankles and arms folded over her chest. She was still in the NCIS t-shirt but had added a pair of jeans. Her eyes were pegged to the crack between door and floor, not hearing or seeing much outside of her internal thoughts. She could picture Tony burned up and looking like Death was coming to claim, all because of her poor relationship choices. Now she was really debating going after Tzabar on her own and taking the bastard out for good. No jail cell for him, only her cold fists and sharp blades. It would be slow, if she had the time.

_Please let Anthony be all right_, she thought to herself.

"Ziva, we're heading out to bring in your friend. Stay here an update us on his progress," Gibbs said. His eyes were so bright it seemed a fire could pour out of them at any moment.

She nodded and watched him leave with Timmy in tow. Ziva sighed, pushing off of the wall and stumbling down the hall to the waiting room where she could take up a seat. It was going to be a long night. She could only hope that Tony would live through this.

About an hour later the doctor came out, looking around for her. Ziva jumped to her feet and walked over to him. "Ah, Miss David, correct?" he asked her, clipboard tucked against his chest in some faux-protective manner.

"Yes, will Tony be all right?" she asked, fear evident in her dark eyes and shaky tone.

The doctor nodded. "He'll be just fine, ma'am. A few bumps and bruises. What took so long was the scan in case he hit his head and damaged something. Everything looks good though. He's awake now, so if you'd like to go see him, you may." He smiled to her, refrained as if out of some onspoken instinct, from touching her and turned away to tend to others.

Ziva rushed towards the room, composing herself quickly outside before walking in. She pushed the door open and glanced in, seeing Anthony staring out of the window, fidgeting with a brace on his left wrist. "Tony, how are you feeling?" she asked making her way over to the edge of his bed. She bypassed the chair and sat right next to him.

Tony looked over and grinned. "Fine and dandy, wanna sign my release forms?" he asked grinning that cocky grin up at her. Yeah, Tony was the same old Tony.

"Not a chance. You go when the doctors deem you ready to go, Anthony Dinozzo," she said returning his boyish grin.

"Then how about we just get down and dirty here? I was hoping to get some of Ziva tonight but the bomb sort of slowed that up. You know, I watched this one movie where they did it in the hospital-" Ziva's glare cut off his words. "What about you?"

Ziva looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What about me?" she asked reaching out to brush some stubborn strands of hair out of Tony's eyes.

"Are you all right?" shot back looking her up and down as if expecting to find some harm. His tone was sharp and almost…angry. "It was your psycho boyfriend, just making sure he didn't come after you, too. It would be hard to kill in a cast but if anyone could it would be me." Tony looked up at her eyes again, his smile not quite as big as normal. Some layer of truth coming out of him, perhaps?

Ziva had seen his sincere caring side a few times, but that was normally work related, not with anything involving sex. Not since his undercover gone love-disaster. "I am fine. Thank you for your concern, but I think we need to make sure you're doing all right." She ran her fingers down the side of his face, remember the soft feel of him all over her. If she was less civilized she may have jumped on the idea of sex in the hospital. Her fear of getting caught was too great for her comfort. More awkward than adrenaline rush in Ziva's mind.

Tony watched her for a few moments, then pulled her down to lie next to him. He tucked the warm that wasn't in a brace under her and held her to his chest. "Well, if we're not going to have sex, how about we talk?" he asked kissing the top of her head.

"About what, exactly?" she asked feeling her heart skip a beat and her stomach tie in knots. This was what she wasn't good at.

"What you're going through. Or about us. Both?" He could feel her tensing in his arms and hoped she wouldn't just close up on him. They'd been on the same team for a while now, he'd saved her life even, and couldn't imagine living without her. Now he just wished she'd put her trust in his feelings for her and open herself up to him.

Ziva's breathing pattern changed and Tony figured she was thinking. Ziva could feel Tony holding his breath awaiting her answer. She didn't want to talk about her weaknesses and he'd just listed them both. Of course, after what had gone down between the two of them, she knew she needed to talk to him. "Alright," she said slowly, grounding up her words before spitting them out. "I am being stalked by my crazy ex-boyfriend, Tzabar. He'd gone after men I've met and or talked to repeatedly."

Tony balked. "How long has this been going on? I mean the stalking part?" he asked absently playing with her hair in one hand. He noted she'd left it down to come see him in the hospital.

"A few months. I did not think he had it in him to commit murder," she said softly. Her own fingers were dancing across his torso in nearly the same rhythm as his fingers in her hair.

"You didn't say anything to anyone?" he asked incredulously. That set his teeth to grinding.

"No, Tony, I did not bring you in on my personal life." She turned her head up to glare at him.

His face held a very serious tone to it, lines creased on his forehead with thought. "I wish you would share that part of you with me," he said, eyes narrowing.

Ziva looked away. This was quickly becoming the hardest conversation she'd ever had. Conversation about relationships with Tony was always hard. They'd joked it all away most of the time but there was a mutual understanding in their eyes that the physical and emotional attraction went both ways between them. "Now, yes. Before, no Tony I did not want you in on my sex life. But since you have become my sex life-"

"I'm not here asking you for sex, Ziva." He reached down with his braced hand and turned her eyes up to him. "I'm here asking for all of you, Ziva David. Everything you're willing to offer, I'm more than willing to take." Tony leaned his head down and captured her lips. Even through the awkward angle it was a hot kiss. It held passion, longing, sensuality and the sweetness of untold secrets. "Give me your heart Ziva."


	5. Chapter 5

(This is short and more of a directional piece to clear up questions asked than anything else.)

Ziva sat in the lab with Tony and Abby. Tony was attempting to hide from Gibbs' and the tendings of Ducky. Ziva was trying to gather her thoughts up about the whole situation, about Tony's proposal and trying to get over the fact that she'd been kicked off the case. Abby was being Abby. She was attempting to make sure everyone was alright and that no one needed anything. She juggled the case with all of that as well.

"So, have you thought about what I said?" Tony asked Ziva from his spot lying on the floor with Abby's stuffed Bert under his head.

Honestly, Ziva was surprised he wasn't making the thing fart every few seconds. "Yes, I have thought about it." She looked down at him and eased herself down next to him. "I am just not sure how to respond to it, Tony. The only one worse than myself with explaining how they feel is Gibbs." She laughed softly, brushing Tony's bangs back and watching them fall right into place as soon as her fingers lifted from them. "Even your hair is stubborn, do you know that?"

Tony looked up at her with that big grin that showed off his teeth and put crinkly crow's feet in the corner of his eyes. It was stunning. "Yeah, we fight a lot." He shifted and cringed a little, body sore from the explosion. "I uh, I think it's a good thing you're ex isn't all that great at killing things. If he'd set that thing a little closer, or you know, made it bigger I wouldn't be here." He smiled up at her again. "Placement is everything when it comes to bombs."

Ziva rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes Tony. You are lucky and I am to blame for it happening to you at all." She gritted her teeth, pulling a hard mask over her features. It was still obvious she was angry. That seemed to be the one emotion she could not hide from the world. Being the talented killer that she was, it was probably good for the rest of the population that she could _not_ hide this feeling.

Abby watched with a tilted head. "We don't blame you, Ziva." Abby may not have liked the woman much when she was first around, but Ziva was part of the team and part of Abby's little family. Therefore, Abby had a right to protect her, too, even if the warrior woman was more stubborn than Tony's hair. "Tony doesn't blame you either, do you Tony?" she asked walking over and looking between the two of them.

Tony shook his head and reached his arm over, knocking Ziva's knee with his fist. "Don't worry Ziva, we all have our relationship mistakes. You know, I once dated this chick, well it was a lot like Fatal Attraction only-"

"Please Tony, for my sanity's sake, no movie references today. All right?" Ziva asked pushing his hand away as he continued to bump her knee.

"Look, all I'm saying is, stop stressing. Put on that hard ass face and swing back," Tony said struggling to sit up and actually look Ziva in the eyes.

Subconsciously, Ziva reached out to help steady him. Abby moved behind him in case he started to fall. "See Ziva. Told you Tony was okay with being, um, you know…" She heaved a sigh and planted her fists on her hips. "And this is why we should object to Gibbs' rule. Obviously dating outside of the office is dangerous."

Ziva cocked an eyebrow at Abby and Tony let out a bellow of laughter. "Mm, you go bring that up with him. He'll just hit me."

"Bring what up?" Gibbs' voice sounded from the elevator doors and all three turned to look at him.

Abby bounded over, chipper as normal. "Did you get Tzabar to confess?" Even Abby's pigtails bounced.

Gibbs' eyes wandered from Abby to Ziva. His jaw was straining in his silence. "He was released on some technical details. Seems he has an alibi." He kept his eyes on Ziva to gauge her reaction.

She frowned and leaned against the wall behind her. "An alibi?" She folded her arms over her chest. "But who else…" Her eyes were on the ground at her feet and she was obviously deep in thought. She flicked her eyes to Gibbs. "What do we do?" Ziva felt more lost than she'd ever had before.

(So, I'm not sure I actually like the progression of this story. It's not as clear and linear as I would have hoped. For the next story I will have to lay out exactly where it is going before I start writing. Thanks to those who are following though! Sorry it's so…discombobulated.)


	6. Chapter 6

"Ziva, where are you going?" asked Gibbs watching her walk towards the elevator with her bag slung over her shoulder. She paused in her attempts to get home for the night and away from so much negative stimuli.

Turning and looking at Gibbs, she stood a little taller and spoke up, "Home, Gibbs. I am tired and we have no new lead at this point in place- eh, time." Her hair was in a tight pony-tail, having somehow managed for the day to avoid Tony's swiping fingers.

Gibbs shook his head as he watched her, "I don't think so, Ziva. I've got a safe house set up for you and Tony. You're both coming with me in twenty minutes."

Ziva debated a strong protest but her boss was already turning his back and going towards the stairs to the director's office. She was sure that Vance would love a visit from him in this mood. Gibbs had been on edge since the bomb incident in Tony's place. "Yes, boss," she muttered to his back and slunk back to her chair, flopping in it and dropping her bag next to her.

Turning on her computer she browsed the web for something to do mostly. She flipped through a Wikipedia page on the NCIS and couldn't help a smirk. Some of it was correct, but a lot of it was bullshit composed of what people had seen on television. She got to the end of the page and flicked her finger up and down the scrolling button, watching the page roll up and back downwards. Time consuming. That's all she needed, was something to consume the time she waited on Gibbs and Tony.

A warm hand on her shoulder had her pause and tighten her grip on the mouse so as not to strike out at who ever had decided to suddenly grab her. She turned her head enough to catch sight of Tony. "Dinozzo," she murmured. "Don't you know better than to sneak up on Mossad?" Her voice was smothered in a glare.

"Didn't know that I _could_ sneak up on a Mossad Agent. Getting a little rusty, Miss David?" Tony asked placing his casted hand on her other shoulder and running his thumbs in small circles across the muscles of her back.

Ziva threw an elbow back around the chair and hit Tony just above the kidneys. "Next time, it will be on the kidneys, got me?" she asked as he fell back away from her with a grunt.

It actually hadn't been a hard hit and Tony had to chuckle. "Yes ma'am. I bet you can get very violent in the bed, huh?" he asked reaching around for the pen sitting on her desk.

"Do _not_ stuff that down your cast," she growled at him. Her eyes swung over to him and watched carefully as he eased the pen back around her and down onto her desktop. "So, I am guessing that you know of Gibbs' plans for us," she stated.

The cocked eyebrow that Tony shot her gave it all away. He didn't know. At least Ziva wasn't the only one left in the dark. Ziva had to admit though, that she may have deserved the mistrust that placed her in the dark with Gibbs. She knew he could get very upset with people. "No…" he dragged out the word in a low timber of crescendo notes. "What plans?" Tony pushed resting a hand on the back of her chair once he'd drawn himself close enough again.

"He has us staying in a safe house. I do not know for how long or where the safe resides." Ziva huffed and leaned onto her forearms across the edge of her desk. She paused and looked back at Tony then bit the inside of her cheek. Tony didn't have much of a house to go back to at this time anyway. It was a tad charred. "I am sorry about your house, Tony. I was not thinking when I felt upset about this."

Tony shrugged his shoulders and pulled her chair out enough that he was standing in front of her. He crouched down so that he could look her in the eyes. "Don't worry about it. We've got bigger things to deal with," he said, hands resting on atop of hers on the arms of her chair.

The hint of a smile wavered at the corner of her lips and she leaned forward, inches from Tony's face. "You are cute when you are playing protective tough guy, do you know that?" she asked, brown eyes playfully squinted.

Tony's eyebrow jumped sky high and his eyes snapped wide, voice catching in his throat. She was so close, so tempting, not to mention hitting on him. He leaned in to steal a kiss from her seductive lips and came into contact with her finger.

"Eh! Uh uh, not in the office, Anthony Dinozzo." She leaned back with a playful smirk. It was nice to feel the tension rolling off of her as she teased and joked with Tony.

Tony frowned deeply, lines creasing over his forehead. "Humph, I don't think that's fair Ziva," he said with the long emphasis on the 'I' he used when he was teasing her back. "You can't say I'm cute then pull away."

Ziva gave him a sidelong look of "oh yeah?", one eyebrow riding high and lips pressed in a thin twisted smirk. She folded her arms over her chest watching him as he backed up far enough to stand without bumping into her chair. "It would look like I just did and there is not much you can do about it," she chuckled softly.

The trill of laughter, the happy look that was washing over Ziva, the easy manner of their flirting had Tony excited and a little pushy. He had laid bare his heart to her and, while he wasn't rejected, was left waiting. Moving forward he quickly reached out and wrapped his arms around her. Her hands immediately went to his chest to keep distance and the strain put on his casted wrist was a tad painful but he wasn't in a caring mood. He saw what he wanted and he was going to have it. Heaving her upwards out of her chair, Tony pulled her close, noting she wasn't fighting back much for a Mossad agent. Though Tony was competent he could keep up with her, he knew she could give him a big run for his money. She wasn't giving him anything.

Sagging slightly in Tony's arms, Ziva felt male lips crush against hers in a flood of warmth and tingles. The taste of him was richer than she'd have thought being the end of the day. He had the delicious bitterness of a strongly brewed coffee dancing over his lips and washing across hers. His hands were, well one was, wrapped tightly around her, keeping her close. Flashes of being held up against the door by him flashed into her mind and she felt her body growing warm, taut, and achy.

"When you two are done, I'm ready to get out of here for the night," Gibbs' voice echoed around the bull pin.

Tony and Ziva yanked out of one another's arms quickly and Tony went into stuttering blushes. Ziva just grinned wickedly and grabbed her bag. She slung the thing in a manner that allowed it to smack into Tony's shoulder. "Come on Dinozzo, we have bigger things to deal with." Ziva didn't know she had it in her to strut so across the bull pin considering she wasn't in a dress but she managed and felt Tony's riveted eyes on her backside. She could also hear Gibbs attempting to stifle a laugh with the sleeve of his jacket.

* * *

The safe house was a set of apartment housing set together in a tight grouping. To Ziva's trained eye, she could see the two cops pretending to play house out on the front porch of one of the buildings. As they drew nearer that set of complexes, she also noted they were packing heat. The slight bulge at their hips gave that away.

Tony moved up and took the steps up the porch two at a time and stood in front of the two undercover cops. "If you hear any screaming, don't worry, it's just her in the throes of pleasure," Tony grinned and immediately felt a hard cuffed hand at the back of his head.

"Please, he is the screamer," Ziva said dropping her hand to the handle of the door and yanking it open. She disappeared within, leaving a stunned Tony on the porch. Gibbs chuckled and gave the two on the porch a short wave before following after Ziva.

Gibbs reached out a hand and touched her elbow, nudging her towards the elevator. "It's on the fourth floor," he said. "First floor is the couple outside, second is a pair of cops who witnessed a big murder, third is a witness in some special case for the FBI."

"Tony will be pleased to know that the feds could be in this building with us," Ziva smiled. "Hope we do not run into your friend Fornell."

Gibbs laughed. "Ah, he and I aren't that bad together." He pushed the fourth floor button just as Tony came into the building. The doors shut just before Tony could get into them and Gibbs snickered.

"Uh huh…" Ziva just smirked and folded her arms behind her back as she waited to get to her floor. Fortunately, Gibbs seemed in a better mood than she had predicted he'd be in. When it came to the care of agents, you couldn't ask for a better father figure than Gibbs, especially concerning Tony. Ziva was still figuring out the relationship there; sure she knew some details but the "how" is what stuck her.

When the elevator dinged and the doors opened there was a panting and bent over Tony standing before them. "Took the stairs, Boss," he said straightening up quickly and giving a boyish look. Nope, Ziva was no longer confused. Right there it was…he was such a boy…

"Have you ever seen the movie Peter Pan, Tony?" Ziva asked stepping around him close enough that their shoulders brushed.

Tony gave her first a confused look then a smile at the feel of her so close. She was very precise in every movement she made- the brush by was no mistake. "Uh, which one? Animate, play or new movie?"

Ziva turned half around, waiting as Gibbs unlocked the door to the apartment. "Any?" she asked not having actually known there was more than one. She'd actually only read it.

"Ahh, no," Tony gleamed and moved into the room after Gibbs.

Ziva followed suit, giving Gibbs a smile as he held the door open for her. The inside wasn't as bad as she guessed it would be. The floor only consisted of this apartment space so it was rather large. The living room, dining room and kitchen were open to one another, the former two blocked from the later only by an island counter. A hallway branching off of the dining room led to what she guessed was bedrooms and a bathroom.

Gibbs stood in the middle of the small entry way before the living and dining rooms waiting for his two agents' attention to return to him from looking around the place they'd be staying. "I'd like you to call in when you need a ride to work. Someone will pick you up. If you need food the fridge is stocked. Do not, under any circumstances, leave this building. Tony, you listening to me?"

"Me? She's here, too." Tony looked over Ziva and caught her look of raised eyebrows and a sly smirk. "Yeah, I hear you Boss," he said in a resigned tone. "So, do we get the day off tomorrow?" he piped up quickly, probably too hopefully.

Gibbs just laughed. "If you give me a call, I can come pick you up tomorrow." He tossed the keys of the apartment to Tony, dug into his pocket and tossed each agent a phone, then turned and headed out of the door. Pausing before he closed he turned enough to look over his shoulder and added, "I might even bring you coffee." The man disappeared before they could respond.

Tony beamed and Ziva started to relax. Maybe Gibbs wasn't as angry with her as she'd thought. Moving slowly around the apartment, looking at the windows, the lock on the door, the bedrooms Ziva subconsciously counted steps to different areas of the place while she flipped her phone around in her hand like a counter.

Stepping back into the main area, Ziva found Tony bent over looking into the fridge. "Anything edible?" she asked craning her head to glance around his body.

Tony stood up and looked over her with a look of slight disgust. "Abby might think so. Health food mostly." He turned, reached in and pulled out a round container. "This might be chip dip." His eyes were alight with hope. "What is hummus?" he asked popping open the lid and sniffing it.

"Health food…" Ziva wasn't completely sure what it was but Abby had made her put on a piece of pita and try a bite. As much as she and Abby were starting to get along again, they would always disagree on the term "edible".

"Yuck!" Tony exclaimed and slammed the lid shut, tossing the container back in. "So, no to answer your question." He stood up and shut the refrigerator door before looking into the living room. "I wonder what movies they have in this place."

Ziva chuckled and moved to the fridge to check for herself. The best she found was a container of OJ, of which she poured a glass and took a seat on a stool at the island counter. "You'll probably be disappointed," she said as he crouched at the entertainment center and popped open a cabinet.

He peered inside for a few moments then shut that door too and fell back on his rear end. "Yeah, big time. A couple Keanu Reeves movies, some chick flicks…" Tony shook his head. "This is going to be miserable. You think telling Gibbs that he needs to bring movies and pizza will get us killed?"

"It might get _you_ killed," she said sipping at her orange juice. It was full of pulp and she wasn't sure yet whether she approved or not. Wasn't like she had much choice.

Tony shot his eyes over to her from where he was now lying on the floor, hands tucked comfortably under his head. "Why wouldn't it get you killed, Miss David?" he questioned.

"Because I would not ask him that," she said with a tight lipped smile. Decidedly, the orange juice was just fine and Ziva took another long drink from the glass.

"Hmm," Tony murmured and looked up at the ceiling. He had very precise structure to his face, defined lines, slightly higher cheek bones and a well curved neck that disappeared beneath his button-up. His skin was a warm tan, perfectly smooth looking. His lips…Ziva tightened her legs closer together as she thought of them back on her body. They had been soft and warm, traveling quickly then slowing at the most tender places. She'd not felt anything quite like his lips. Ziva didn't realize she'd been staring until she was looking too long into his eyes. Blinking, she found him grinning at her like a child. "What?" she asked in a rough tone.

"Don't ask me what. You're the one staring." Tony kept the grin as he perched himself up on his elbow to get a better look at her. "And you're so far because?"

Ziva frowned at him and held up her nearly empty glass of orange juice. "Can a woman finish her drink before she is bothered?"

Tony laughed and remained on the floor, tossing one leg over the other as they stretched out. He watched her slowly finish her drink, rinse it slowly with hot water, and set it in the sink. She turned and looked at him for a long pause, slowly batting her eyes at him. Ziva's long legs strode slowly from the kitchen, around the island counter and into the living room to stand in front of him. She was smiling very softly, the edges of her lips having the slightest of upturned curves. It was sexy.

Reaching up he grabbed the backs of Ziva's legs and gave them a tug. She looked down at him and caved in, moving downwards to kneel next to him. "So, it is 6:00 on a Friday night. We have no good food and no good movies. What should we do, Tony?" she asked, reaching out and brushing at his bangs. This seemed like it was going to be a habit she wouldn't mind having.

The smile he gave her was a crude one and though she wanted to yell at him, Ziva felt her chest tighten in anticipation. "I'm looking at what I would like to do," he said.

"Well, that is awfully romantic, Anthony Dinozzo." Ziva shifted so that she was sitting more comfortably on the floor and not risking her legs going to sleep.

"I can do romance, if that's what you'd like." He chuckled a little and moved his hand up along her arm, fingers dancing around one another. They moved up her shoulder and Ziva held still, trying to suppress the chills running through her at his delicate touch. "You're beautiful, Ziva." It was a murmur, nothing forced, nothing fake, just a dispelling of feelings. It warmed her up hearing it. His fingers glided over her neck and up into her hair, pulling out the hair tie.

Ziva's hair rolled over her shoulders and around her in an airy tumbling. The dark mocha locks were quickly threaded by Tony's fingers and he pulled her down. She let her eyes fall to half-mast and expected her lips to connect with Tony's. Instead, a warm fluttering of breath pooled at the bottom of her neck where her collar bone made a sensitive dip. The warm wetness of a tongue trailed along the dip and across the bone ending in a light nip of teeth. She could not hide a shudder this time. "Tony," she breathed out and gripped at his shirt. He'd had the control last time and while it had been fantastic, there was too much out of her control this time.

Flattening her palms against his chest she pushed him back onto the floor away from her and stood up. "If you want to continue this, you will have to come get me." Ziva headed off for the hallway that led to the bathroom and bedrooms. She heard Tony scrambling to his feet and smirked, ducking into the largest bedroom. She gave it a quick look over, noting the large bed, a writing desk, a large dresser and tall mirror-doors on the closet. She was spun around by a rush of hands and laughed at the sharp, hungry look in Tony's eyes.

Grabbing his shirt she pulled him roughly to her lips, forcing them to open with an impatient tongue, and delved deep inside enjoying immediately the taste of him. She couldn't get enough of the coffee sitting heavy on his tongue. Pulling him closer to her she backed further into the room and her back found the sturdy closet doors.

Ziva felt Tony reach out and plant his hands on the mirrors of the doors behind her. The bracing of his arms tightened his muscles. Pulling her hands from the fabric of his shirt, Ziva began working on undoing his buttons as they dueled for dominance with their tongues. One of his hands moved from the mirror, down to her hip, slid along her thigh and hiked her leg. She pressed her hips into him and hooked her leg around his hip. She felt him lift his hand away as she pop opened the last button of his shirt and he tugged at the hem of her shirt. Moving her hands up she let him tug it all the way off.

The feel of Tony thrust slightly against her khaki-ed hips with his jean covered hips had her gasp slightly. Snapping her foot a little more around his leg she pulled them around, slamming him into the mirrored doors. He grunted but didn't fight back much more than a harder bite on her now bared shoulder. Ziva's mind was racing sky high with this. Moving her hands down she pulled at his button and zipper, then hers. They were too close though. The clothes were stuck, pinned between their subtly rocking hips. "Move," she growled at him.

Ziva couldn't figure out his complacency to the orders and dominance she was radiated. There was something underlying in it, but her head was too muddled with shocks of warmth and lust. When he was moved enough, Ziva yanked at both of their pants and found Tony had decided to go commando today. A crude grin spread over her face. She was left in a light blue thong. Even Ziva needed to feel like a pretty girl every now and again. The feel of a hard warmth pressing at her stomach had her quickly discarding the cute panties.

Putting a hand on the mirrored door they were resting on and an arm around Tony's neck, Ziva hiked herself up onto Tony's hips, mirroring their previous encounter in her apartment. Tony's lips moved along her neck, his arms wrapped around her waist to help hold her up, and he pressed himself into her core drawing a delicious murmur from both of them. He rocked his hips along with hers, tossing his head back against the mirror and closing his eyes.

Ziva's fingers dragged against the mirror and drew her eyes to it. She had to let out a gasp at the heightened eroticism of seeing herself riding Tony. His back was taut with the muscles straining under the exertion of the position, her hair was flowing around them, bouncing with each thrust of their hips and she was arched into him just right creating a beautiful curve of her body. She had never felt more beautiful-

No, that wasn't true. Ziva had most felt flattered, girly, sexy, whenever Tony gave her a smoldering look hovering inches from her lips and breathing out her name. "Tony," she breathed out trying to get his attention.

"Hmm?" he mused opening his eyes to look at her.

She leaned in to lightly kiss his lips, across his jaw and to nibble on his ear. "Keep your eyes open. Look at me. Let me watch you," she said and clenched her thighs and inner muscles around him.

Tony gasped and fought to keep his eyes open, his mind steady, his body upright. "All right," he said and looked back into her eyes.

It wasn't awkward. There was a connection as they thrust together. Staring into his eyes Ziva could feel what he'd expressed to her at the hospital, the love he was willing to give and take. If she could only put that into words for him. She felt him move one hand to drag along her thigh, nails first. It sent shivers through her, drawing out a gasp. The heat was building in them both. Their eyes were glassing over and Ziva leaned in again, seeking his lips. Their glances were still locked on one another and Tony's hips bucked faster, his hands gripping at her wherever they could. They moved rapidly, randomly, over her body as if he couldn't get all of her at once and needed to.

Ziva moved her hand into his hair, keeping the arm wrapped around his neck. She tugged at it, pulling his head back and biting at his neck. With a harder thrust, she felt him pouring into her and his harder kick of the hips sent her over with his name pouring from her. The feel of Ziva tightening and fluttering around Tony in orgasm had him crying out her name and together they crooned to each other of the pleasure they were drowning in.

Somehow they ended up in the bed and not sprawled on the floor. How Tony had the strength to do all of this, Ziva wasn't sure but she also wasn't complaining. Wrapped in his arms she felt sated, comfortable and at ease. His nose was buried in the back of her neck, her hair wrapped up in a messy bun out of the way. They were both naked, of course, and warm. She was running her fingers over his arm, noticing a few scars and watching the hairs rise in goose-bumps at her tendings.

"Ziva," Tony spoke up softly.

"Hmm?" she echoed back to him, pausing only briefly in the movement of her fingers on his arm.

Tony took in a deep breath and pulled back from her neck. "Do I have your heart yet?"

Ziva froze. No, she didn't want this conversation right now. She didn't know what to say to him, didn't know how to say it to him. This was too perfect, why did he have to do this? God, she couldn't do this right now, she was panicking. "Why did you have to do that? This was nice, right?" Ziva pulled away, getting out of the bed and looking at him.

He had a hurt look on his face, hand laying open on the warm indent where she'd just been. He watched her pick up her shirt and stuff herself into it. "I was just-"

"Stop, I cannot do this right now, Tony. So much more is going on and I do not know what to say to you." It was breaking her heart, watching his face fall further and further, watching him collapsing in on himself and the bed. She grabbed her pants, disregarding the panties and slipped into them. Turning away Ziva took off out of the room, out of the apartment and to the stairwell. She couldn't leave- Gibbs would have her head. But she needed distance.


	7. Chapter 7

My Death it is Yours- Chapter Seven

Ziva stopped running when she reached the end of the staircase and found herself in the lobby area of the apartment building. The cops that had been sitting on the porch when they'd entered were no longer there, which she was thankful for. Ziva needed to be alone when she was overly emotional- it wasn't for anyone else to see. Grumbling under her breath about Tony's behavior she started to pace, anger fuming her steps. There was no way she could have told him just this moment that she felt something for him. She wasn't sure _what _she felt. Sure, Ziva had enjoyed how close they were getting. The sex was great. But she was in the middle of the worst break-up anyone could have, what with her ex possibly being the one killing every male she had contact with.

"Damn it, Dinozzo." Ziva's voice was harsh but low. Her fists were clenched and slightly shaking at her side. This wasn't a good place to get this pent up frustration. She wanted something to punch and the wall, the elevator door, and the front door didn't seem like great options to her. "A girl has to be ready…granted, I am not your typical girl and I am normally on top of things like this…" _Mossad is not everything that I am. I am a woman, too._ Her thoughts returned internal in fear that she would be overheard and deemed insane from this caseload. She really couldn't believe herself that she was standing down here, throwing a fit like an emotional teenager. Over what? One little sentence, one little gesture of trust.

_Be honest with yourself…_ She liked Tony, a lot, that was for sure. So why couldn't she just say it? He was so careful with her through all of this, giving her just what she needed almost every time. As much as the two of them had been through, she was noticing one very important pattern- Tony Dinozzo was at her side to help her through everything, no matter how she treated him.

Sighing and sinking to her butt on the bottom step, Ziva grabbed her hair in tight fists and shook her head slowly. "Think, Ziva David. Just go up and apologize to him." Sucking in another deep settling breath the NCIS agent sank back further, letting go of her hair. She wasn't quite ready to go up and face him just yet. She had been an ass running out on him like that. It would take more than a quick apology to set things right. Also, she still wanted to just yell at him and beat on him.

Making a quick decision before she talked herself out of any sense what so ever, she pushed the anger aside and jumped up, pulling herself up the stairs with the handrail. She made it to their floor and stood staring at the door for a brief few seconds before barging back in. "Tony, look I am-"

Tony was digging his own path in the carpet of the living room, mirroring her angered pacing downstairs. "Ziva just drop it. I get it if you don't like me. What we had was fine. It doesn't have to go further, so let's just forget about it."

That sent her right over the edge, for reasons she would only fully understand after looking back on all of this. Moving quickly, her legs eating up the space between them, Ziva landed him a rather hard punch to the shoulder. "Tony Dinozzo, shut up and listen to me. I _do_ like you, a lot. I am just not the type of person who can say that so easily. And with this case I am under a lot of pressure. I do not want to say something unless I know that I mean it, all right?" Her fists hit his shoulders a few more times, emphasizing her words perfectly.

To his credit he stood and took it pretty well. He was gritting his teeth and trying not to cringe at each hit, but he remained quiet, those hard eyes looking down at her warm brown ones. "Well, I hope you figure it out soon, Ziva. You know the kinda guy I am." His narrowed eyes and tone of voice made the sentence sound self-deprecating. He was attacking himself more than her. "Who knows, that lady cop down there was awful cute. She might figure out her feelings first."

Even though Tony looked like he was speaking out of emotional overload, Ziva couldn't help but attack him back. "Fine! She would probably put up with your asinine attitude better than I would anyway." Ziva turned her back on him, intending on shutting herself away in a room for the rest of the time they had to be there. She could go a good week without food or water.

Tony snatched her wrist, jerking her back. The only reason she stumbled and _was_ pulled back was that Ziva hadn't expected Tony to do something so stupid. She caught her footing quickly and put a hard heel of her palm to the center of his chest. "Back off, and let me go."

"No, this is ridiculous. You're just going to let me walk out?" he snapped sharply.

Ziva looked into his eyes again, keeping her hard mask up to gage the situation. They were getting loud. She didn't care at the moment though. "If that is what you want to do, I cannot stop you."

Tony rolled his eyes and his head and growled out a very male grunt. "You've gotta be kidding me. After everything I've said you can't tell I'm trying to get you riled enough to yell something out of character at me, to lose control on those tight-lidded emotions?" he shook his head and let her go, looking angry once more. "What ever. Obviously you're not going to tell me anything so lets just drop this."

"What do you want to hear, Tony?" she yelled at him as he finished his sentence. Her body was tight, arms snapped to their sides, restraining.

"To know that I'm not alone in this. To know that what I'm giving you, you're enjoying and wanting. That you like _me_, too." Tony ran a hand through his hair. "I don't want this to be a waste of time."

Ziva narrowed her eyes and watched him for a moment before doing anything. He was relaxing- no sagging in defeat. He wasn't in any way comfortable with this situation. He just didn't have much of a choice in it. Closing the space between them once more, Ziva wrapped her arms quickly around his neck and pulled him down to her for a hard kiss. Talking obviously wasn't working and they did the physical so well together.

Tony kissed back and Ziva was glad for it. Perhaps things could be worked out. She was so concentrated on the feel of his lips and hands on her back that she missed hearing the door open. She only opened her eyes when she felt the reverberating smack from the back of Tony's head. Gibbs was standing behind Tony, hand slowly falling back down. "I got a call from the agents here. Said there was a lot of bullcrap going on between you two." He was frowning. "Fortunately for everyone, I was already on my way over. Grab your gear and let's go."

"Yes boss," said Tony jogging back to the room immediately. He was well trained to Gibbs' commands.

Ziva on the other hand stood there for a moment and looked at Gibbs questioningly. "What have we got?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

"A name and an address." Gibbs turned away from her and headed for the door, holding up a slip of paper for her to glance at. "Come on David, get your gear."

Turning and following after Tony, Ziva met him in the hallway where he handed Ziva her gun, badge and jacket. "Here," he said gently. Once his hands were clear he slipped on his own jacket.

The two trotted after their boss, Ziva relaying the very short amount of information Gibbs had given her. "He did not say the name or the address." She was wondering, in both relief and fear, if maybe Tzabar wasn't actually involved in this. She was so sure, after his stalking and the letter…

"Hmm," Tony murmured and as they caught up to Gibbs tapped his shoulder ever so slightly. "Who's the target?"

Gibbs glanced back at them and pointed at the SUV. "In, then I talk on the way over." He climbed into the driver's side and waited for the other two, only long enough for the doors to shut, before he took off in a hurry. "His name is Ronald Emeret. He's ex-navy, let off for bad conduct. Didn't get very high in rank before they let him go. He's been getting some pretty pricey checks from the initials T.F."

"Tzabar Farah…" Ziva breathed out and felt her head get a touch lighter. So he was involved. "Wait, did you say Emeret?" she asked, her memory pounding trying to dredge up some image of the familiar sounding man.

"Yeah, you know 'im?" Gibbs asked glancing in the rear view mirror at her. Tony was turned in his seat to watch her twist her lips in thought.

Ziva squished her eyes close trying to pull the memory forward. "Yes, just a few days after I broke-up with Tzabar a man by that name approached me at a diner. He came on to me but I had a bad feeling so I brushed him off and went home. I think I remember seeing him a few times after that but he never approached me again." Something else flashed through her mind. "Gibbs, I think he was at the first crime scene. I saw someone, at first my mind flashed to Tzabar but I believe it was Ronald Emeret." Her eyes were slightly wide and her mouth a little agape. She couldn't believe she hadn't placed that earlier.

"Did you question him?" Gibbs asked in a stern voice. Tony's eyes were apathetic as he'd come over to talk to her after she'd gone running after someone.

"Couldn't catch him." She shook her head and sagged back against the seat. Her fight with Tony seemed so far away already and she was ready for the comfort he'd been giving her lately.

The rest of the ride was silent but for Gibbs explaining the whole situation. They had their warrant, a good amount of evidence which Abby was finishing up, and their infiltration plan. A quick bust of the door, the two agents flanking their boss and hopefully a quick round up of Ronald Emeret. Pulling up to the house a few down from Emeret's, the agents climbed out and palmed their guns. Moving up to the house carefully, the warrant in Gibbs' pant's pocket, they peeked through the front windows to find the t.v. on and lights towards the back of the house. Taking up their positions, Gibbs knocked on the door.

The television went off and there was a moment of silence before the bursts of feet sounded over the floors heading for the back. "Now!" Gibbs said yanking open the door and watching as Tony shoved his gun inward. They followed the nozzle of Dinozzo's gun and headed quickly yet carefully for the back. The place seemed empty but for the sound of those footsteps. A rummaging sound came from the back and as they rounded the hallway there was the all too familiar sound of a gun cocking. All three paused, lifting their guns higher and waited, listening carefully.

"Ronald Emeret?" Gibbs spoke up. "We have a warrant for your arrest. Put down what ever is in your hand and come out with your hands in clear view."

"Fuck you! Take one more step and I'll blow your damn head off!" the man from inside said.

Ziva nodded to herself. "That is him, I recognize his voice." Her voice was merely a whisper for her two partners to hear.

Gibbs nodded and took slight step closer, not yet able to see around the doorway. Ronald sounded like he was towards the back of the room but nothing obscured his voice. Gibbs would have a clear shot if he needed it. "Listen up, Ensign, we need your cooperation on this." His voice was hard and commanding- Gibbs could have easily been a drill instructor. "Step out of that room with your hands free. I'm not in the mood to be dealing with bullshit, you got me?"

The man's breathing was quick and heavy. "Ziva out there?" he asked.

The three froze, Tony looking worriedly from Ziva to Gibbs. When his boss just looked at him, Tony decided to speak up. Better that he knows there were a few of them and his chances were slim. "Yeah, Agent David is out here. Why, you want something from her?" he asked taking an involuntary step closer to Ziva.

"Not really. She wasn't my hit." Ronald sounded lower to the ground, like he was crouched now. His breath was still heavy.

Ziva took a step forward and projected her voice, not able to mask the anger. "Who asked you to make the hits? Tzabar?" she questioned and Gibbs put out a hand pushing her back slightly. She shot him a quick look but allowed herself to be moved.

"Ha! You already know. What can I offer to get out this now?" he asked sounding more and more panicked by the minute. "He down there blabbing about it? That pussy couldn't even do it himself. I told him he should deal with the bitch himself! You can always work over a bitch and it's cleaner than what he had me do."

"You didn't do a very good job, either," Tony said shifting his weight but staying put. "That bomb was a bit off its mark, wasn't it?"

Ronald scoffed and shifted back into something that clunked heavily. "Yeah, well, Tzabar gave me the stuff. I told him I didn't know nothing about it. He gave me the instructions, I followed orders, that's all. It's his mistake."

"Following orders, you know, we could work with that." Gibbs stepped closer and took a very quick look into the room. He pulled back as Ronald raised the gun and fired.

"Stay out!" he shouted in a hysteric voice.

Gibbs turned to his agents and whispered, "He's tucked down on the left side of the bed. Dresser behind him- nothing blocking our view." He watched the two agents nod and turned his attention back to huddled man. "If you were just taking orders, you were just doing what you were taught. Once you're military you're never anything else. We all know that."

There was silence for a long moment and Gibbs was about to speak up again when Ronald's voice sounded again. "Yeah…yeah, I know. I was following orders." He took a few audible gulps again and spoke up, "Ziva, I'll give Ziva my gun. I didn't do no harm to her. Right? You understand Ziva…it was Tzabar. I can tell ya everything he planned. Okay?" he asked.

Ziva swallowed, closed her eyes and tried to force the images of the dead men she'd met from her mind's eye. She tried to forget Tony's near death. "All right. I want you to put your gun on the ground and slid it out towards us," she said stepping up as Gibbs let her. They heard a loud thunk and a harsh skidding over the wood floor. "Do not move, Ronald, all right?"

"Yeah okay, I won't move," he responded.

Stepping into the room with her gun raised, Ziva looked at the gun a few feet away and the huddled Ronald. He looked frantic, really young, and ready to do anything. She moved quickly, putting a foot over the fun and kicking it back further for Gibbs or Tony to grab then tucked her gun at her back and grabbed a hold of Ronald. She pulled him onto the ground and wrestled his arms behind him, slamming on the cuffs. She heard her partners move in, Tony grab the gun and Gibbs stepping up beside her.

"Good job Ziva," he said putting a hand on her shoulder and offering a tight smile.

She nodded two quick times and moved out with Gibbs and Tony back to the SUV. Pushing the man in, she breathed out a deep breath and shut the car door. "I think I will get a cab back to the office," she said looking at her boss.

He nodded and moved around to the driver's side. "Tony, go with her." He didn't wait for a response before he climbed in and took off.

Ziva raised an eyebrow and looked over at him. "Well…" she looked down the road to the street with shops and diners where they could hail a cab.

"Come on, let's get back over there before Gibbs has another reason to head slap me," he said with a cocky grin.

With a nod, Ziva followed after him and glanced over. "How are you feeling?" she asked looking at him. He was walking pretty tall and proud despite the recent injuries.

"Ah, I'm a Dinozzo. I'm just fine," he said squinting into the bright day. "Wish I had sunglasses though."


	8. Chapter 8

Ziva was sitting on her couch once again. She was starting to wonder about the complications of always being stuck in the house alone especially after everything that had gone down in the past couple of weeks. Knowing that Tzabar and Ronald were put away and not going to be tromping on her life making her react in very un-Ziva ways settled a lot of her nerves. But it was the confusion in her heart over Tony that had her pausing as she reached her hand out towards the glass of red wine on the table.

Snatching it up she took a big gulp and sat back, pulling one leg up in a 'v' and the other wrapping underneath it. She cradled the wine glass in her palms and closed her eyes with a sigh. She couldn't believe at the end of this, she was back where she started and hadn't even given Tony an answer to anything. She'd brushed him off so quickly back at the office that she was surprised he hadn't actually followed her. Of course, that surprise could also be interpreted as disappointment…She sucked in another breath and leaned forward for the remote.

Hopefully some random t.v. could distract her from her thoughts tonight. Ziva knew there wouldn't be any random knocks on her door at least. Flipping through channels she landed on some sitcom with the laugh reels that make you feel like they're judging your sense of humor, like if Ziva didn't laugh every time they did she was detached from the rest of the world. It wasn't like she needed anymore of that. Sinking into the mindlessness of the show, Ziva allowed herself to laugh along with the reel even if she didn't hear what was said or if she didn't understand. She twirled the glass, the wine lapping at the edges of the glass, flirting with the danger of cascading down the other side and onto Ziva or her carpet.

Her eyes were starting to fail her, the glass was lilting in her hand. She was falling into sleep quicker than she realized and she would have dropped her wine glass had the phone not startled her awake. Setting down her drink on the table, she looked over at the house phone and climbed to her feet. She glanced at the clock as she went, noting it was after ten and wondered who was calling at this hour. If it was Gibbs, she wasn't sure she was ready to talk with him about the case just yet. She knew they had unfinished business to deal with but she wanted to enjoy her night and day off. She needed time to gather herself and really get back to normal, not to mention figure out what to do with the Tony situation. God knew she liked him, something in her might admit that she even loved him, but she didn't know how to put that in words. It wasn't something she was good at, especially with all of the loss she'd experienced in her personal life.

The phone's ID brightly lit up the name "Dinozzo". Ziva's heart thudded to a quick stop then started up quicker than ever. She wasn't ready to talk to him. Not yet. She had to get her thoughts straight, to figure out what she was going to say. She couldn't pick up that phone yet. Biting her bottom lip in thought, she reached out for it anyway and was nearly there when it cut to her away message. Bringing her hand back to her side, Ziva stared down at it and waited to hear what he was saying before she decided to actually pick it up.

The scratchy machine-recorded-voice was echoed by the strong Tony timbre on the other side of her front door. "Ziva, I didn't knock in hopes that we could slowly ease into this but you might as well-"

Ziva picked up the phone and shoved it to her ear. "What do you want, Tony?" she asked. Ziva swore she'd meant to be forceful but her voice was slow and tired.

"Just let me in. You know we need to talk." The sound of a thump on the other end made it clear that Tony's hand had found the door.

Sighing and clicking the phone off, Ziva sat it down and headed towards the door. She yanked it open and stared into the depths of Tony's eyes. She liked the feel of them, the sophistication, openness, the warm emotion. It was so different from the men she normally dated. There was something more intimate with Tony. "Hello, Tony." Her statement was simple but he took a hold of it and Ziva was glad.

"Hey Zii-vuh," he teased and leaned in, pulling his hand from behind his back. "These are for you." It was a bouquet of flowers, white, that she didn't recognize. Of course, she wasn't really an expert in flowers.

"What are they?" she asked reaching out for them. He let them go as she gathered them up.

Tony smiled. "Desert Lilies. They uh…they reminded me of you." He stopped short, like he was going to explain further but didn't want to push anything.

Ziva smiled, understanding completely and put them to her nose. They were beautiful and they smiled nice, for flowers. Stepping back she let Tony in after her and watched. He moved slowly, stepping around her and smiling that big cocky smile of his. It was cute on him. Tony put his hands behind his back, clasping them and moving into the living room. She watched him go and stalled having this conversation by going to the kitchen and getting a vase for the flowers. "So how much water do they need then? Not a lot?"

Tony looked over from where he was standing by her couch. "Full vase. They're picked so…" he shrugged.

"Right," she said and got it all set up. Placing them on her counter she turned back around knowing she couldn't put of the inevitable any longer. They needed to talk about this. She knew that. There was a lot that Ziva needed to say to him, if she could get it out right. Walking into the living room with him, Ziva stood in front of him. She looked up slightly, enjoying that again, it was something that made her feel feminine with Tony.

When he leaned down to kiss her, Ziva held up her finger, placing it on his lips. "Wait, there is something I need to say." She looked up at him and smiled softly. "I owe it to you. I know what I have been needing to say, what I want to say, I am just not sure how to say it." She looked down but Tony's finger at her chin made her look back up at him. "I really do…like you. Tony, I um…" She tried to look down again but his finger was firmly there, keeping her eyes locked with his. "I want you, just as you want me."

This time, she didn't stop the kiss he planted on her lips. She didn't stop his roaming hands. Her soft groans edged him further and they fell together in rolling, sensual, passion. They fell into a tangle of half-dressed bodies, dancing tongues and gripping fingers. How they ended up, fully naked and wrapped in each other's arms on the couch, Ziva wasn't sure, but lying there with her head on Tony's chest, she was smiling through the panting. "I love you, Tony Dinozzo." She felt his heart skip a beat and heard his soft sigh.


End file.
